Throughout British history, the reigning monarch has operated a system of favouritism by which loyalty, support and achievement have been rewarded with privileges, titles and membership of exclusive groups. This system has been central to the hierarchy of traditional British society and has helped to protect the monarch and assert the crown’s authority.

A focus on the late-nineteenth-century phenomenon of American heiresses marrying into British aristocracy. The display will explore how women such as Mary Curzon and Jennie Churchill became charismatic leaders of British society.

This display focuses on the eminent Victorian historian and literary figure, Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881). Carlyle established his reputation through the major works Sartor Resartus (1833-34), The French Revolution (1837) and Frederick the Great (1858-65), as well as shorter books and essays such as his collection Latter-Day Pamphlets (1850).

A range of nineteenth century Punch self-portraits, photographs of sculptors and Jewish personalities throws light on the writer and art historian Marion Harry Spielmann’s work, and his decades of generosity towards the Gallery.

This display showcases three self-portrait sketches by one of the most influential art teachers of the twentieth century, Henry Tonks (1862-1937). The studies were made on the eve of the First World War, while Tonks was a teacher at the Slade School of Fine Art.

This display includes photographs of Emmeline Pankhurst and Mary Richardson, notorious for attacking the ‘Rokeby Venus’ by Diego Velasquez at the National Gallery. It also includes original documents from the Gallery’s archive, and surveillance photographs showing a number of Suffragettes which were issued to the Gallery by the Criminal Record Bureau in 1914.

Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry turns his attention to portraiture and British identity for this display of new works, including a self-portrait and a tapestry, made during his Channel 4 series Who Are You?

This display offers the opportunity to view rarely-seen portraits by Smith showing the author Roald Dahl and the British film star Jean Simmons, which are on long-term loan to the Gallery. In addition, Smith’s portrait of the writer and artist Angelica Garnett, recently acquired by the Gallery, will be displayed here for the first time.